This is a rare solid carved redwood pintail drake attributed to Jesse Hawkins Cave II as illustrated and discussed on page 514 of Wildfowl Decoys of California by Michael Miller. Cave was a farmer and duck club owner out of Clarksburg, west of Sacramento. The only other pintail attributed to this maker is shown in the California book. This example, clearly a rig mate, was recently discovered in a small nearby collection. The paint on the back is original and applied with some artistic skill the sides, bottom and head are old in use repaint. Dated to approximately 1914 and clearly patterned after the noted early maker Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson. Measures 17 3/4” in length.
This is a rare solid carved redwood pintail drake attributed to Jesse Hawkins Cave II as illustrated and discussed on page 514 of Wildfowl Decoys of California by Michael Miller. Cave was a farmer and duck club owner out of Clarksburg, west of Sacramento. The only other pintail attributed to this maker is shown in the California book. This example, clearly a rig mate, was recently discovered in a small nearby collection. The paint on the back is original and applied with some artistic skill the sides, bottom and head are old in use repaint. Dated to approximately 1914 and clearly patterned after the noted early maker Richard “Fresh Air Dick” Janson. Measures 17 3/4” in length.
